Can't open apple file security protected files - updated

[macgrrrl]

(For a recent update of the following, scroll to bottom)

ok here's my dilemma. i used to use OS 9 Classic with the Apple File Security feature. i used it to password protect a lot of different files. eventually i upgraded from OS 9 Classic to OS X (Panther) with the option to run OS 9 if i needed to. i wanted to keep using Apple File Security (AFS) so i would open OS 9, open AFS, and then password protect the files of my choice.

well, just recently, i tried to open a file that i password protected, and it wouldn't prompt me for the password. instead, a Convert File From box popped up with choices like, "Text Only, MS-DOS Text, Rich Text Format (RTF), HTML Document" etc. this never happened before. usually when i click on the file i want to open, OS 9 will automatically start up and then i will get a prompt to type in the password for the file. not this time. if i choose one of the options in the Convert File From box, it opens up the file with a bunch of jibberish.

what's changed? why am i being asked to convert the file when all i want to do is open it?

i've tried opening it by manually opening OS 9 first and then the file but the same thing happens. i haven't done anything different. i recently downloaded the macairportfix for my aol but other than that or the usual mac updates, i haven't changed anything.

i am having this problem with only one AFS protected file. all the others works fine.

one weird thing i noticed was there's an AFS protected file called "tEmP*cRyPtFiLe-10002" in my folder. i don't know where this file came from and when i try to open it, it asks for a password which i do not know. could this be the root of my problem?

can anyone help me? i really need to get this file open. thank you from the bottom of my apple-shaped heart.

UPDATE:

I was able to get the "tEmP*cRyPtFiLe-10002" open. turns out this is the file i was trying to open. it renamed itself as a temp file but the original file still exists and i can't open it. i tried opening it with AFS and MS Word but neither work. why was this temp file created to begin with? how can i prevent this from happening again? can i delete the original file or temp file? any explanation or help is appreciated.

[Cheryl]

While I can't explain what is happening to that file, you can indeed trash both the original and the temp file.

Try one thing - Click on the original file once, then go to the File Menu and select Get Info. In that window - see if it is locked... if so, try unlocking it.
Also check the permissions. See if you can change it so that you (your user name) can read & write.

[macgrrrl]

Originally Posted by Cheryl

While I can't explain what is happening to that file, you can indeed trash both the original and the temp file.

Try one thing - Click on the original file once, then go to the File Menu and select Get Info. In that window - see if it is locked... if so, try unlocking it.
Also check the permissions. See if you can change it so that you (your user name) can read & write.

thank you for your reply i tried doing what you said but it's already unlocked. i will keep trying. i don't want to delete the original or temp file because then i will lose everything in those files. what i ended up doing was opening the temp file (which i was able to open) and saved it with a different name. as for those orignal and temp files... i don't know what's going on or why it happened in the first place. i don't think i'm going to use Apple File Security anymore.

do you know of a good program that will let me password protect my files without having to boot up OS 9 Classic? thx!

[Cheryl]

I found a few that you will want to check out to see if it does what you want:

FolderGuard X 2.5.2
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/8390

HideMe 1.12 - (rated very high)
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/9933

iProtector 1.0
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/22359

[macgrrrl]

Originally Posted by Cheryl

I found a few that you will want to check out to see if it does what you want:

FolderGuard X 2.5.2
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/8390

HideMe 1.12 - (rated very high)
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/9933

iProtector 1.0
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/22359

thank you so much, cheryl! i will check these out.